The Rift War
The Orc War, also known as The Rift War, was a the invasion by the orcs that devastated the Attamat Islands and countless smaller villages across the world as the Orcs used the rift to stamp out all life as they advanced. The Road to War The Orcs were a relatively self centered race that warred heavily with each other for as long as their history books can recollect. They lived in many small tribes in Saldonia and constantly went to war with each other to prove dominance and prove their strength to each other and fellow clans. The other races looked down upon the Orcs as a simple species with no real intelligence and left them to their own devices as capturing the war ridden lands would prove too much a hassle. In the Cycle 152 a solitary figure rose to power in clan Womt and quickly gained the backing and support of other clans in the lower plains. He led a vicious campaign of war to bring the other clans in the lower foothills under his umbrella. The first Orc to accomplish such a feat, he quickly became a figure head among the Orcs as more and more clans fell under his control. After many battles and countless clans surrendering to his will, Baronk was approached by Kog and was offered a power beyond his wildest imaginations to use upon the whole world. Baronk quickly went about training all his warlocks with the new porte magic that Kog had brought to him. Over the next few cycles the orcs where surprisingly quiet in their region of the world as they trained in this new magic and constructed among many gates most notably the Horned Gate. Course of the War The First Waves Over the many cycles that the orcs laid quiet they had constructed the Horned Gate at the recommendation of Kog to allow the greater beasts that lay beyond this world to arrive. The horned gates completion marked the beginning of the Rift War when the first Land and Sea kings entered the world. The settlements that lived the nearest to Saldonia didn't even stand a chance as waves and waves of orcs and unnatural beasts poured through the gate. The horde first marched north upon the Tismidian Jungles and Rakat destroying or enslaving all in their path. The human settlements on the north side of the Thundering Mountains were sparred from the onslaught. The Endless Advance After the conquest of the Eastern Isle of Tonia the war was brought to the Attamat island in full force and devastating effect. The Orc's with their new magic and numerous captive creatures under their control decimated dozens of ports and towns that bordered Saldonia. Realizing that the Orc's did not intend to stop at the border of Tonia, the Council of twelve sent the Yunan Armada to quickly snuff out the weak orc naval fleets and ensure the safety of the Attamat Islands. What was to follow is the largest loss of life the Armada had ever seen. The Admiral Reeve Bentan wanted to show off the Yunan armada to the world by completely annihilating the Orc Fleets in one go, and to this point he assembled most ships he could muster from the Attamat Islands under his control and set sail for the main bulk of the Orc Forces. The Yunan Armada arrived at Crocodile Straight early in the morning of the 5th month of cycle 162. The main Orc fleet was moored up at a port nearby and Admiral Bentan wanted to end the fight quickly. Against the heed of his first mate who warned that something seemed terribly out of place, he set the entire fleet on an path directly for the port, a poor tactical decision. It was at this point when the First Sea king rose up from the waters and looked down upon the Yunan Fleet that Admiral Bentan had assembled. A giant squid that breached 300 meters out of the water froze the men in their tracks. The battle that ensued could be considered nothing more than a slaughter of the largest fleet the Larastir Empire had ever assembled. Of the 50 ships that entered Crocodile straight, only 5 returned home with extensive damage. Thus marked the first true battle of the Rift War in the Attamat Islands. With the Yunan Armada severely crippled and lacking any support for at least a few weeks the Orc's went on the advance. Islands quickly fell before the armies that marched from the west toward the Human Empire to the east. Any resistance on the Seas in the first weeks was swiftly met by Sea Kings who annihilated any who dare oppose them. Not too long after the Slaughter of Crocodile Straight the Land Kings appeared as well. Sea Kings ruled the seas and crushed any ships, while the Land Kings trampled towns and humans where ever they went. Towns fell faster than people could evacute to the east and many lives were lost in the first weeks. The Godslayer It was in this desperate time that Renegal arrived and reinvigorated the people into stopping the advance. Renegals first sighting in battle was in the town of Alverton, a decent sized trade port that had evacuated most it's population only days before. Many people refused to leave their houses and saught to fight to the last breath in defense of what they had created in the town. An Orc landing party came ashore at the harbour and set out to pillage and raise the town to the ground. The people of Alverton stood together and slowely started to take the advantage in the battle. The Orc's not wishing to lengthen the fight summoned Zeke, a massive Sea Turtle with two heads, to simply crush the town under his feet. The giant strode up the shallows into the town and began to crush the resistance when He arrived. Renegal is said to have slain Zeke with a single slash of his sword, a clean cut severing both heads. Aftermath